Saving Belief
by InfinityMidnight
Summary: Sequel to Nico In Hell. Part 2 of the Trilogy (Plan). After the 2nd war, Nico finds his refuge in Japan where he becomes the shadow to a shadow. After the disaster that was middle school, Kuroko fights his way to bring back his old team mates from the edge of losing themselves. Except, maybe he is losing himself along the way. (The format isn't exactly what I wanted but pls enjoy)


Flashes of **dark** shadows

Currents of **crimson** blood

It haunted him from the moment he set foot in the accursed inferno

All the layers of hell from standing at the gates looking down at the monsters that guarded the entrance to the cold _cold_ depths of misery.

Every time he breathed it was there burning his lungs

Every

Waking

Moment

And he couldn't get rid of it no matter how he tries.

Sleeping doesn't help either since in his dreams he relives the pulsing beat that marked another monster ready to kill him

Mark the number of heartbeats he had left

Nico sat on his bed, the silky sheets cool to the scars that laced up and down his body. The now even stitches stung from the infection that was slowly creeping up his veins despite the amount of time and effort the healers. He lied there breathing in and out – the air burning in his lungs and threatened to steal the little oxygen he could pull in – not really living but not really dying at the same time. He lied to the people around him that he was alright. He said he was fine.

Yet

Why did everything hurt?

He said he was over Percy and he was, he thinks… yet every time he sees that happiness on Percy's face when he's with Annabeth (which is always), his chest twists and it **_hurts_**. He didn't want to watch it anymore. So here he was hiding out in his newly renovated cabin and debating on whether or not he wanted to leave. He said he would and who was he to break a promise. He raised his head to look out of the tinted window above the headboard of his bed. He could see the campers running around doing normal camp things like if the war never happened and that the camp was a bit emptier than usual.

He sunk back into the comfort of his bed and stared at the tiny crack on the ceiling of the cabin. Yes, it would be a wise decision to leave. He couldn't muster the strength to carry on living - _dying_ \- in a place where people look at him from the corner of their eyes and fear his betrayal. He closed his eyes and imagine letting go and fading into the darkness. The comforting feeling of the shadows seemed so suffocating now when before it was his safe haven. He pulled himself together and slipped out of bed, the floor board cold to his bare feet and the hilt of his sword soft under his toes. He kicked his sword up and caught it with his left hand. He flipped it in the air and swiped his ring out from midair where his sword had just been.

He took one last longing look out of the window and breathed out – his chest burning for more than one reason. He turned on the spot and sunk into the shadows and squished down the panic in his mind. He did not know where he wanted to go but he just wanted to get elsewhere. The cold tendrils curled around him as his eyesight was robbed in the split seconds that it took for the shadows to swallow him whole. Suddenly he lost control of it and the panic bubbled up in his throat and threatened to suffocate him.

 _Too tight_

 _It's so cold_

 _No one is going to rescue me_

He stumbled out of the shadows onto a black stoned floor, the cracks of the marble swimming in his vision. He dry-heaved as he tried stifling the anxiety. After a long moment, he finally pinpointed where he was. The Underworld.

"Nico"

"Father" he politely replied. He didn't look at his father's face. He didn't see the pity. The tiresome pity.

"I have a mission for you."

"..."

"I need you to travel to Japan and watch over a group of students"

"Why?"

"You will see."

Nico knew there was nothing to be seen overseas – Hades was just trying to be a good father and fulfill his son's desires. And right now, Nico wanted to get away. To hide.

Tears burned behind his trembling lashes.

"Thank you" Nico whispered as he left the palace, his body laden with different charms and gifts. A new bead was added to the camp half-blood necklace that was wrapped three times around his wrist, its multicolored facets shone with black marks. Nico curled his fingers around the strand of clay beads and the one crystal bead. The bead itself wasn't made of anything special but the writing on it was what held all the power. It allowed Nico to understand Japanese, both written and spoken, which was good since he was going to japan after all and hid his scent a bit more.

The bleak, dreary underworld melted in front of him and faded into an almost equally dreary scenery. Tokyo. To be fair, it wasn't that bad, the billboards and signs brought more color to the area than the Underworld probably had if you remove Elysium.

Nico scanned the area for any potential monsters with his fingers twisting his ring around and around.

And around

and around

He let out a shaky breath before taking a step onto the road and towards the high school right in front of him. In big Kanji letters, the word Seirin was displayed on the gate leading to the entrance. The stark white color of the walls and the open space dispelled any lingering fears that it would be similar to Westover Hall.

Voices called out to each other as teenagers rushed to and fro, trying to talk with their old friends before the end of the day. Nico felt completely out of place with his black skinny jeans, new black leather jacket (since the war ripped up his aviator jacket), black and white converse and the SPQR brand on his arm. He knew he would have to change soon. He gripped the strap of his gray book bag harder before smoothly sliding in between the people calling out the different clubs. He didn't notice the blue haired boy that had just dropped off a piece of paper onto the basketball club's table however, he did notice the tall, giant, red haired guy that stopped by the table with another guy in his hand.

Nico looked at the scene curiously before phasing through the crowd into the entrance.

 ** _You can't save everyone_**

 **Time: 8:40 am**

 **Place: Classroom**

The class droned on and on. Kuroko sat near the back where it was easier for everyone to not notice. It worked a bit too well. He almost got sat on several times in the past 15 minutes. Luckily the class had started and everyone was already seated. Kuroko looked out the window with his head resting on one hand, the sunlight turning his light blue hair into a slight halo.

 _Creeeak_

Kuroko looked at the door to see a really confused boy standing there rubbing his neck with his left hand and his right hand holding the door handle. No one else noticed him except for Kuroko. He walked in and quickly made his way to the back and sat in the open seat diagonal to Kuroko.

"Kuroko Tetsuya?"

"Present"

"Is there a Kuroko Tetsuya here?"

Kuroko sighed and walked up to the front and tapped the teacher on the shoulder.

"I am here, sensei."

Everyone in the class screamed and Kuroko turned around to see the dark haired boy that came in late amused. The blank look on Kuroko's face did not disappear but inside he was really shocked. He sat back down in his seat and faced forward, his impassive attitude was directed at not looking at the other boy.

"Ah we have two students from America. Could Kagami Taiga and Nico Di Angelo please stand up?"

Kagami who sat in front of Kuroko stood up and Nico stood up too. While Kagami stood up with power and you could see his muscles flexing under the school uniform, Nico stood up with all the power and grace of a cat. A very skinny cat.

"Please introduce yourself."

"Hurmph, my name is Kagami Taiga." The loudness and slight anger in the voice made the sensei sweat drop. Of course, his pronunciation wasn't that correct but considering he just came back from America it was justifiable.

"Ahh Kagami-san, please tell us why you came here also."

"I came here to become the best basketball player."

"Thank you, Kagami-san. Nico-san?"

"Ah, hello my name is Nico di Angelo. I came here because my father wanted me to see Japan." Nico politely bowed and sat back down. His fluency in Japanese surprised everyone but very quickly he was forgotten in favor of scribbling down notes as the teacher immediately started the lecture on the syllabus.

 **Time: 3:30 pm**

 **Place: Gym**

Nico followed the blue haired boy after school into the gym where a group of boys was already standing there in their white t shirts and different colored shorts. Nico looked over the bunch and could already see the basketball club would have a hard time getting this group of unathletic teens to get anywhere near pro level. He watched as the coach got them all to take off their shirts and as Kuroko scared the basketball team. He felt like this was going to be a reoccurring theme from now on.

Making his way over to the bench, Nico dropped his bag in the farthest corner from where the team was sitting and made sure it was under a broken light. The entire corner was dark and hid his skinny frame very well. He settled down to watch the players take off their shirts and act like a total fool. Dark brown eyes boring into the figures of the basketball players, Nico fished out his sketchbook and charcoal from his bookbag and started a rough sketch. The scrawny figures were all lined up in a semi straight line with Kuroko the only one in color. Light blue.

He closed his eyes tightly as flashes of light blue throughout his life flickered in his memories. The sky before he entered the Lotus Hotel. The sky smiling down on camp when he felt Bianca's soul leave this world. The first glimpse of the open water when he exited the maze after so long wandering with King Midas. Jason's pale blue electric eyes filled with pity when they met cupid. Will's blue – so blue – eyes staring lovingly at Nico when he thought Nico wasn't looking.

It hurt so much

The band around his chest squeezed

 ** _You can't save everyone_**


End file.
